The Champion

May 2013 , Page 06

Access to The Champion archive is restricted to NACDL members. However, this page and others deemed to serve the public interest - as opposed to a narrower benefit to the criminal defense profession - are left unprotected for access by all interested persons.

NACDL’s New Way to Connect

By Membership

NACDL is delighted to announce the launch of a new platform for community discussion groups. NACDLConnect dramatically enhances the versatility and richness of member-to-member communications by providing an updated interface and myriad options for sharing information. We like to think of it as a social network for criminal defense lawyers.

NACDLConnect replaces the general and topical listserves, and will serve as the vehicle for the Daily Criminal Justice Briefing.

We expect that most NACDL members will choose to interact with the enriched functionality and graphics through the community website. For each discussion group members join, they can get individual messages or a daily digest, and respond through the website. If they wish, members can still get plain-text emails as in the past, and respond directly to the message.

Each message a member receives from NACDLConnect includes a photograph of the sender (if the sender has uploaded one), and a menu of options: print or forward the message, reply to the entire discussion list, reply to the sender alone, post a new message, and see all messages in that thread or from that author. Most members will find it easiest to interact with NACDLConnect through the website, and clicking any of these menu options in a message takes the user to the website.

Logging into the NACDL website is now easier than ever before. The website now has “persistent” login — meaning that unless members log out, they will remain logged in automatically for 60 days. For password assistance, members can just click the “Reset Password” link and enter their email address; a message containing a link to reset the password will arrive instantly in their inbox.

Members will have an easily accessible link to edit their profiles from NACDLConnect, and to upload a photograph, which will enable them to get to know each other better. Members can get a single email each day with a list of message threads and a link that will take them directly to the site. On the website, members can browse groups they are interested in, and focus on particular threads that are most relevant to their work.

With NACDLConnect, members can read what they want to learn, and respond where they have expertise to share.

Even more than the listserves, NACDLConnect will provide opportunities to interact with other members, share knowledge, and strategize together for the benefit of clients and the criminal defense profession.